Metal fabric.



S. C. CARY.

METAL FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1910.

1,16%794. Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

71551265565: Inventor:

M4 Spencer Cone mzy 1% ByhjsAttwnWs SPENCER C. GARY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METAL FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Application filed February 11, 1910. Serial No. 543,306.

ToaZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, SPENCER CONE CARY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Metal Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a metal fabric, and it involves an improvement upon, or addition to, the invention secured by my prior United States application, filed June 2, 1908, Serial No. 436,299.

One of the objects in view is to reinforce or strengthen the fabric atone or more edges thereof, whereby an edge or edges of the fabric are precluded from bending or curling up when said edge is lifted to raise the fabric should the latter be used as a floor covering or mat.

Another object of the invention is to fill in the spaces between the units composing the fabric for the purposes of imparting what 'niay be considered an ornamental mosaic effect thereto, but in one aspect this part of the invention pertains to means whereby the fabric is rendered yielding to the tread of persons walking or standing thereon.

To the accomplishment of the object first stated, the fabric is provided, at one or more of its edges, with a reinforcing member extending lengthwise of said edge. It is preferred to employ, as the reinforcing member, a metal strip, which strip in the present embodiment, is doubled or folded length wise, and to attach said doubled strip to the marginal row of units in such manner that the edges of the. folded metal are substantially flush with the top and bottom faces of the metal fabric. It is preferred, also, to utilize the links within the units as a means for attaching a single or doubled metal strip to the fabric, whereby a folded strip is braced or stayed internally for the purpose of precluding the strip from bending under the weight which is ordinarily imposed thereon when the fabric is employed as a floor covering.

The second part of the invention pertains to members positioned within the fabric and between the edges of the units, said members being, preferably, attached to rods which unite rows of units. These filling members may be composed of any suitable material, such as the tiling used in mosaic floors, for

imparting a finish or ornamental effect to the fabric. It is preferred, however, to employ filling pieces composed of yielding or resilient material, such as rubber, and if de sired, the rubber pieces may be variously colored. The rubber material imparts a certain degree of resiliency to the fabric, thus rendering it yielding to the tread.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown there in is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure l is a plan view of a metal fabric especially adapted for use as a door covering and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is another vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a detail view illustrating one of the links in side elevation. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating an insert or filling piece provided with different means for securing the same in position between the edges of the units.

A. designates units, and B are rods con necting the units in rows. The units, A, at two edges of the fabric are provided with reinforcing members, a, which are positioned, preferably, within the units. As disclosed in my prior application, each unit consists of two members, 6, 6, having inturned or re'c'ntrant lugs, 0. The sections, Z), I), composing each unit are assembled for the lugs, c, on the respective units to register or aline, and between the lugs are positioned links, C, C. The links, C, connect the units of one row with the units of an adjacent row by means of the rods, B, thus producing a flexible fabric which is adapted to be folded or rolled upon itself. Links, C, are employed in connection with the rows of units at two edges of the mat, and these links extend through units, A, and across the space between an adjacent row of units, all as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

D, D designate reinforcing members which cooperate with the two edges of the fabric or mat which are not provided with reinforcing members, (4, within the units thereof, although said reinforcing members may be used in connection with reinforced edges of the fabric if desired. Each reinforce may consist of a single piece of metal applied to an edge of the fabric and attached thereto by means of links, C, but it iio is preferred to employ a reinforcing member which is doubled or folded lengthwise upon itself as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The links, C, at one edge of the fabric are extended beyond units, A, and said extended ends of the links are beveled, as at 6, shown in Figs. 2 and 4:, or the extended edges may be provided with bevels at e, e, as shown in Fig. 3. The metal reinforce, D, shown more clearly in Fig. 2, is doubled upon itself to produce a member, f, adapted to occupy a substantially horizontal position, as in Fig. 2, and another member, 7", which is inclined to member, 7", is also shown in Fig. 2. This doubled member, D, is applied to the projecting ends of links, C, so that the fiat part, 7", and the inclined part, f, will engage with the bottom and top edges of links, C. It is preferred to provide said links, C, with shoulders, g, g, and with a tongue, W hen the doubled strip, D, is applied to a series of links, C, the member, f, engages with the straight bottom edges of links, C, the member, 7', of strip, D, engages with the beveled top edges, 6, of links, C, and the tongues, 9 extend or project through suitable apertures in the doubled edge of said strip, D, whereby the tongues of the links may be bent into engagement with the outer edge of strip, D, thus securely fastening said strip, D, to the fabric by employing links, 0, as the attaching means for said strip, D.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a doubled strip, D, the members or parts, f 7, of which are at an obtuse angle to each other, whereby the parts of the strip are adapted to be snugly fitted to the two beveled edges, 6, e, of links, C Said links, C are provided with shoulders, g, g, as shown in Fig. 3, and the tongues, of the links are adapted to pass through openings in the apex of the reinforcing strip, D, for the purpose of securing said strip firmly to the ends of the links at one edge of the fabric.

It will be observed that the doubled edge of each strip, D or D, is at the outer edge of the fabric, whereas the edges of the folded portions of each strip are substantially flush with the top and bottom edges of the links and the units, thus compactly disposing the reinforcing strips with reference to the units and links of the fabric. This arrangement is furthermore advantageous in that no sharp edges are exposed for contact with the shoe of the wearer, and by inclining the part or member of each reinforcing strip, D or D, the shoe cannot be caught in the reinforcing strip when walking or standing upon the fabric used as a floor covering.

It will be noted by'reference to Fig. 1 that rods, B, pass through the units, the reentrant lugs thereof, and the links so that all the parts are substantially joined by the rods; and, furthermore, the rods operate to pivotally connect links, C, to the rows of piece of tiling, and the several pieces may be p of different colors. It is preferred, however, to employ rubber inserts, and the numerous rubber inserts may be differently colored, whereby an ornamental and attractive appearance is adapted to be given to the fabr c. When composed of rubber, the inserts are somewhat longer than the thickness of the fabric, and the top and bottom edges of the insert may be slightly above and below the corresponding edges of the units, whereby a certain degree of elasticity or re siliency is imparted to the fabric so as to be easy to the tread of a person walking or standing thereon.

Each insert or filling piece is attached in a suitable way to the metallic fabric. While various devices may be resorted to for securing the inserts in position, I, in some instances, employ a strap, G, composed of a flat metallic strip having its ends bent or doubled to produce eyes, it, whereby the insert will be held in position by rods, B, passing through the eyes of the metallic strap. Instead of the fiat metal strap, G, I may employ the securing wires, H, the ends of which are provided with eyes, it, to receive rods, B. The metallic strap, G, or wire, H, is shown as extending through the material composing the insert or filling piece, and if desired, the metal attaching means, G or H, may be embedded in, or vulcanized to, the rubber composing the insert or filling piece.

As shown in Fig. 1, the fabric may be provided with a name plate, I, or two name plates, I, I,'may be positioned within one of the units, said name plates being secured in position by rods, B, and, if desired, they may engage with one of the links, C;

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A metal fabric embodying rows of members, means for connecting said rows, a marginal strip, and a row of links attached to and projecting beyond one row of units, said links being fastened individually and directly to the marginal strip, whereby the row of links and the marginal strip are fastened together independently of separate attaching means.

2. A metal fabric embodying rows of ioe members, means for connecting said rows, a marginal strip composed of a piece of sheet metal doubled upon itself and producing a longitudinal channel, and a row of links attached to a marginal row of units, the end portions of said links being positioned within the channel of said doubled strip and said links being attached individually and directly to the doubled strip and independently of separate fastening means.

3. A metal fabric embodying rows of members, means connecting said rows of members, a marginal strip provided with a longitudinal channel and with apertures opening into said channel, and a row of links attached to one marginal row of members, each link being provided with a tongue which is incased within the channel of the marginal strip and said tongue passing through one aperture of said strip and with he free end of the tongue bent against the strip, whereby the links are fastened by the tongues to the mar inal strip independently of separate attaching devices.

i. A metal fabric embodying rows of members, means connecting said rows of members, a marginal strip provided with a longitudinal channel, the top of said channeled strip being imperforate and being inclined relative to the bottom of the strip, and a row of links attached to and projecting beyond a marginal row of members.

5. A metal fabric embodying rows of unitary members, means connecting said rows of unitary members, a marginal strip com posed of a piece of sheet metal doubled upon itself to produce a longitudinal channel, and a row of links attached to and projecting beyond a marginal row of units, each link having a tapered end portion which is incased within the channel of the marginal strip and said tapering end portion being fastened directly to said strip, the top of said marginal strip being imperforate or un- &

broken and the inner edge of said top portion of the marginal stria being substantially flush with the top eilges of the links and of the unitary members.

6. A metal fabric comprising a plurality of units, links connecting the units, the links at one edge of the fabric being provided with tongues, and a reinforcing member secured to the fabric by the tongues of said links.

7. A metal fabric comprising rows of units, rods connecting the units in rows, inserts positioned within the fabric, and securing strips each attached to one insert and fastened at its respective ends to the rods.

8. A metal fabric embodying unitary members connected together longitudinally and transversel of the fabric, and filling pieces composec of yieldable material, each filling piece being provided with a transverse metal member unitary with said filling piece and operating to attach the same to parts of the metal fabric subsequent to and independent of the connection of said unitary members to produce said fabric.

9. A metal fabric embodying rows of members, means connecting said rows, a series of links attached to a marginal row, each link being provided with an extended tongue and with a shoulder rearwardly of the tongue, and a channeled strip incasing the tongues of the links and positioned with its inner edge in contact with said shoulders, said tongues of the links being fastened directly to the strip and the top of said strip being imperforate or unbroken.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SPENCER C. CARY.

Witnesses:

H. I. BERNHARD, JAs. H. GRIFFIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

